Friday the 13th
by JSkippy
Summary: Strange things happen on Friday the 13th, right? What if it was your birthday on Friday the 13th? In fact, what if it was your 28th birthday on Friday the 13th meaning that you were also born on Friday the 13th? Imagine Groundhog Day meets Rookie Blue.
1. Chapter 1

Story Summary: Strange things happen on Friday the 13th, right? What if it was your birthday on Friday the 13th? In fact, what if it was your 28th birthday on Friday the 13th meaning that you were also born on Friday the 13th? Imagine Groundhog Day meets Rookie Blue.

Notes: I don't own Rookie Blue, Gail, Holly, or any other Rookie Blue characters. I'm not making any money off this.

Notes 2: I will try to do an update about once a week on this. I generally do my writing while at work while my code is compiling or I'm on break and I'm on vacation for the next week so the next update might take a little longer. Thanks in advance for your patience.

Gail groaned as she rolled over, the light sneaking around her curtains making the room too light for her headache. Two corrections to that thought occurred to her almost instantly. First, they weren't curtains; they were old sheets she had stapled up over the windows. Second, her head actually didn't hurt that badly. Not bad at all given the amount of alcohol one officer Gail Peck had enjoyed on her birthday. What the hell? You only turn 28 once, right? She took a deep breath before looking around. The realization that she might not be alone snuck up on her unwanted and she almost hated to look over and see. That guy... Jimmy? Bobby? Something that ended in y. Or maybe ... Something. The detective from 27th. Or maybe 25th. She was pretty sure she'd invited him to let himself out and as she cracked her eyelid, it appeared that he had. No stubbly face on a pillow and glancing around the room, the only clothes lying around were her own. Well that was a relief.

She was just about to reach for her phone and check the time when the door all but exploded inwards. "Happy Birthday!" Dov and Chloe shouted rather than sung but Gail had heard Dov sing before and shouting was probably better. Chloe seemed too chipper for this early in the morning but when didn't she? The cheery duo completed their non-original but two verse rendition of the familiar song before propelling themselves onto the end of the bed and holding out a donut box for her inspection. The array of donuts, each topped with a cheese puff, had been sweet yesterday on her actual birthday but today it just seemed weird and redundant.

Gail grabbed a donut before shoving her roommate. "My birthday was yesterday, Idiot!"

Dov and Chloe looked at each other before bursting out laughing. "Our singing was not that bad, Gail." Each of them grabbed a donut and dug in (not before removing the cheese puffs and tossing them into the box). "So. Penny tonight? Birthday girl drinks free of course."

The blonde grabbed another donut as well as the free-floating cheese puffs the cutsie twins had wasted. "Look, I appreciate the song and the special donuts and if you want to buy my drinks tonight, I'm in but you need to check your calendar."

Finishing off his donut, Dov smiled at Gail and stood up before setting the box on the bed. "I'm on at 7:00 and so are you. Happy Birthday, Gail." Chloe, of course, gave her a big hug and a smile before the couple scampered out the door shaking their heads.

"Close the door!" Gail flopped back on her bed wishing they had left her alone. She wasn't on until 5:00 so she could enjoy breaking up fights and responding to car accidents on this lovely drunken Saturday night. Grabbing her phone she checked the time only to see a calendar pop-up on her screen "Parade 7:00 am." "... the fuck?" She was sure that she wasn't on until 5:00 so she hit the balloon taking her to her calendar. There it was "Today... 7:00 Parade. 6:00 pm - whenever - Penny for Birthday excessive drunken lewdness." The entire day had a note down the side of the day instructing her to "dodge annual birthday call from mom." She shrugged. Well no shit.

Great her phone was clearly fucked up. She didn't consider herself any IT expert but she knew enough to restart it. In the meantime, she could use a shower after her birthday drunken lewdness and spending the day in the lab smelling dead person and disinfectant. She was pretty sure the stench had seeped in and she was going to let it seep right back out. By the time she was out of the shower, her phone had restarted. And she might be losing her mind but it still said that it was the 13th. Add to that, Chloe was still prancing around the living room singing Happy Birthday to You over and over. Hell, even if she wasn't due at work, she figured she should leave the apartment so she didn't have to listen to that any longer.

Gail's day didn't get any less strange when she showed up at the 15th and was greeted by every officer she knew wishing her a Happy Birthday. Ok. Those who knew her wished a happy birthday. The rest gave her a wide berth as usual. More importantly, it appeared that this hoax or mental breakdown or whatever would mean that she was getting another day of free donuts, coffee, and drinks at the Penny later. By the time she left parade and grabbed the keys so she and Cruz could take out 1509 she was almost impressed with the amount of trouble her friends had gone to. How had they even changed the system date and time on her phone? As Cruz came back with their coffees, Gail's phone rang and she sent that call from her mother straight to voice mail. Actually that part was really strange. Elaine Peck had never played a prank in her life and it wasn't like she was going to start now.

The call to the woods with the two freaked out teenagers - and why was he chasing her around anyway - was right on schedule although how were the merry pranksters going to get a fake body back to the ravine? Cruz was really doing a great job acting too. She didn't seem to know about the body in the woods until Gail pointed it out. Huh. Strange and getting stranger. By the time the cute. Wait... cute? Forensic pathologist/nerd in the green jacket bounced her way down the hill Gail was feeling pretty off-kilter and cranky, even for her. Just to see what would happen she followed her same script from the day before "... not allowed down there..." "... yes I am ..." "leaves... bugs... femur... diatoms..." "Why are you saying all these words?" Wow. This girl was good. She followed the script exactly from the day before. Word for word. Grin for grin. Maybe that was the weirdest thing about her. Gail was being... cranky because... Gail and the pathologist didn't seem put off or offended. She seemed almost amused with Gail's snark. This time as soon as Swarek said he needed someone at the ravine and someone at the morgue, Gail claimed the morgue, again for the purpose of brushing up on her medical jurisprudence.

It was hard to know whether to be really impressed with the coordination and commitment Dov or Oliver or whoever had organized this prank had gone through or to rely on the feelings of Deja Vu. Gail spent the afternoon much the same as the last, watching Holly examine the bones, and insulting her to see what she would do. A few smirks and smiles seemed to be the limit of her reactions. A few more calls from her mother went straight to voice mail. Even if it wasn't Gail's birthday really she had no wish to spend part of her Saturday listening to her mother discuss her career/husband/life/family aspirations and actions or lack thereof. She could only guess what age 28 meant to Elaine Peck. Actually she didn't need to guess. Elaine was 28 when she had Gail so by Elaine logic by this age Gail should be married with a school age first child, be pregnant with #2, and have her first detective rotation under her belt or have taken the sergeant's exam (with the highest score in the city).

By late afternoon Gail was feeling somewhat bored with the familiarity of the day. "So, Holly, how long have you been working here? I mean I don't hang out at the lab often but I've never seen you when I dropped by with samples or whatever."

"What time is it?"

Wow way to dodge the question, Doc, Gail thought. "2:45 give or take a few minutes."

Holly barely even seemed like she needed to do a calculation. "Seven hours and 15 minutes."

"Seven hours and 15 minutes what?"

"You asked how long I've been working here. I have been working here 7:15."

Gail smirked as she looked around the lab. "That's probably why the room has such a homey look."

Again the pathologist just laughed. "Homey is not really an advantage or goal working in a forensics lab."

Before Gail could answer, McNally poked her head into the lab. "Happy Birthday, Gail! I left a bag of cheese puffs in the hall. Apparently food in the lab is a major no-no. Some white coat nearly tackled me in the hallway."

Gail nodded at the other officer. "Will you be at the Penny?"

McNally laughed. "Oh, Gail. I didn't know you cared that much."

"Well I'm sure Dov can use help with my bar tab tonight."

The dark-haired officer spun on her heel and waved over her shoulder. "See you then!"

"Can I leave you here for a few?" Gail asked the pathologist.

Holly laughed. "I can't believe you're leaving all this for cheese puffs but you have to set your own priorities, Officer."

Varying her behavior only slightly from the day before, Gail returned a short time later with orange fingertips and a cup of coffee for the other woman. "Can you have this in here?"

The pathologist looked up and narrowed her eyes slightly. "I thought I was supposed to buy you coffee or cheese puffs or gin or whatever. Isn't it your birthday?"

Gail shrugged and followed the other woman's motion as she pointed to a shelf where the blonde assumed she could set the coffee. "Tequila. Yes. It is yet it seems like it was just yesterday." She expected a smile or laugh or some sort of acknowledgement of this bizarre and long running prank but only received a nod with a vague agreement that life passes quickly.

The pathologist returned to her examination of the bones and Gail returned to studying her. She was quite a study. Cute. No beautiful but also smart. Ok really smart. As Gail paged through the journal articles she found a few others written by the doctor. Plus she had a fun sense of humor and didn't seem offended by Gail which was a plus. She'd come out yesterday during Gail's cat analogy but hadn't really flirted which was just as well. Not that Gail was bothered when women flirted with her. It happened often enough. "How old are you?"

Gail realized that she had been starring and not really paying attention to the pathologist's work. "Uh... 28."

Holly nodded her head. "So you were actually born on Friday the 13th. That's sort of cool. I went to medical school with a guy who was born on leap day and he would have a big birthday party every 4 years. I went to his 7th back in 2012."

"What did you get him?"

Again the brunette laughed. "A nerf football and some Doctor Who action figures."

"So he's a nerd too?"

As they bantered Holly finished up her work for the day and filed her report. At some point she had told Gail that she could go but Gail found herself staying as she had the day before. Partially she didn't want to leave because it was so quiet and peaceful and partially she was waiting for the surprise or candid camera announcement that was sure to come soon. Surely she had stayed true enough to yesterday to bring out her friends soon? She didn't even really plan it but when the doctor asked if she liked it in the lab, Gail had disclosed so much about herself: that she could live there and that she was a cat and that she would rather burn down a house than be stuck in a relationship. And again the doctor had handed her her coat and come out and started to walk her to the door.

"Hey, Holly?" The brunette turned around at the door to the look at her and Gail took a step toward her. 'You were awesome today. I mean for a dead people doctor."

"Thanks. I think. Holly looked at the clock. "But they're not paying me enough to work more than four hours of overtime on my first day and don't you have to get to the Penny?"

Gail shrugged and asked for a ride to the station to get her car. Holly dropped at her at the curb and wished her a Happy Birthday again.

By the time the blonde got to the bar, most of her friends were there and after some rousing shouts and birthday songs she found herself again the recipient of a night of free drinking. Increasing levels of alcohol had done nothing to clear up Gail's confusion and sense of deja vu about the day. No one ever jumped up to shout Candid Camera and she started to wonder if the whole thing was a very strange dream or if she might be losing her mind. Highlights of the night included seeing Chris fall off a bar stool into a plate of nachos for the second time, avoiding her mother's calls all night long, a quick and possibly ill-advised encounter with that detective from the 27th (Ricky, it turned out) in the stock room, and hearing Oliver deliver a poem in honor of Gail in iambic pentameter. She fell into bed, dropped off along with Dov and Chloe by Nick after the former soldier was elected safety officer for the evening (an election which Gail made sure he knew was punishment for being a crappy boyfriend).

Gail groaned as she rolled over and was impressed that she hardly had a hangover. She was reaching for her phone to check the time as Dov and Chloe bounced into the room singing Happy Birthday and holding out a box that she already knew contained a dozen donuts topped with cheese puffs.

Friday the 13th indeed.


	2. Chapter 2 (Day 3)

**I'm sorry that this update has taken so long. Life is very busy with the kids starting up their after school activities and I have a high pressure project at work through the middle of December to deal with. Updates will still be slow coming but I think this one moves us a bit forward. **

It was wonderful the first day and weird the second day and now on the third day, it was actually getting a little bothersome. Who would have thoughts that having Disney creatures bringing you a box of donuts, let alone with cheese puffs, could get tiring but here it was.

_Groundhog Day_ was on Netflix so Gail watched it when she got home from the Penny. It seemed like Bill Murray basically had to do everything right to move to the next day. Maybe that was it? Do everything right? Be nice (gag). "Thanks, guys. This is great!" Gail bit into the donut and tried to smile at Dov and Chloe without choking.

"Really?" Dov seemed shocked at his friend's good attitude.

"Really! Very thoughtful."

Chloe looked like she had found the long lost episodes of Sabrina Teen Witch or something. She leaned forward and hugged Gail before plucking the pinkest and most sparkly cupcake from the box. Dov continued to look skeptical of Gail's apparent good mood and gratitude, particularly when she hugged Chloe back. "Right. So... are you excited about your birthday, Gail?"

Gail looked at him wondering if this would be her life if she decided to be nice to people. Would she have to waste the entire morning sharing small talk and discussing her plans for drunken debauchery? "Uh... I guess? I mean" she held up the cupcake "this is pretty much the best cupcake I've ever had and the cheese puffs on top are a brilliant idea." She looked down. "You know with Nick and Andy... this birthday has the potential to really suck but you guys are just starting it out right."

It was like being a Boy Scout. Or Girl Scout. Whatever. Gail fought the inclination to gag, instead picking up her phone and obviously checking the time. "Well thanks SO much for the cupcakes. We all better get ready for work!"

Chloe gave her another giant hug and Dov even leaned in for the side hug. When the twirly twins tried to leave the cupcakes Gail urged them to take them with as they left. She fell back onto the bed wondering why she even needed to get up. Finally she took a deep breath as she realized the pressure to do everything right if she were going to move to the next day. And that was assuming that doing everything right was even the challenge.

By the time Gail got to the locker room she thought her face would cramp from smiling and saying thanks to everyone who wanted to wish her a Happy Birthday. And she had refrained from punching or shoving any of the numerous idiots who wanted to point out that Gail Peck had a birthday on Friday the 13th and everything that entailed. Andy was in the locker room and Gail wondered if she would have to forgive her former friend in order to move through the day but surely that wasn't reasonable. Actually Gail didn't even care that Andy was with Nick. It was just that friends don't do that. It's like someone taking your favorite donut or something. Friends don't do that.

Parade...

Assignments...

Cruz...

Gail pulled the keys off the hook and offered them to Marlo as they stowed their bags in the trunk. Cruz seemed surprised but took them and said that she liked to drive. "Well I just want you to be happy," Gail offered. As soon as she said that, it seemed really overboard so she muttered something snarky. Cruz sort of looked at her with suspicion but drove anyway. Actually, Gail liked Cruz. She was quiet and she always seemed suspicious of everyone and she was a good cop. Gail always had the impression that Cruz knew everything that was going on in the precinct but didn't need to involve herself in any of the dating musical chairs. Aside from sleeping with Sam of course. When the radio call came in for the call with the kids in the woods, Gail took the call then told Cruz, "it's right up here," before realizing that offering instructions for things before they happened might not be the smartest move. "So... are you coming to the Penny tonight?"

Cruz shrugged. "Probably. Oh, it's your birthday, right? I'll drop by at least. Buy you a beer or whatever."

"Tequila," Gail said with a smile as they got out of the car.

Once they were in the woods, Gail did her best to comfort the freaked out teens as much as she wanted to just check out the skeleton of one Robbie Roberts. But her wish to be nice kept her from going straight to the non-archaeological remains. Guarding the tape allowed her to see Holly again. Dr. Stewart. Actually that was the best part of her day. Gail had considered getting a coffee just before they got the call so that she could give it to Holly when she showed up at the scene since she knew that doctor hadn't had a chance to have any yet but how could she explain that? Maybe they could stop on the way to the morgue and she could buy Holly a coffee as a welcome to the job courtesy. As the forensic pathologist bounced down the hill Gail didn't even try to stop her. "Good morning, doctor!"

Holly turned and looked at the officer with a broad smile. "And to you, Officer..." she took a few steps back up the hill to read Gail's name. "Good morning, Officer Peck." She turned back but Gail could see her chuckling as Gail quietly told her to enjoy her examination of the femur and her bugs and leaves. Knowing that Cruz would rather be outside, because really who wants to spend all day in a morgue, Gail volunteered to go to the lab with the cute forensic pathologist.

The car ride was quiet until Gail started what she hoped was polite and friendly small talk. "So... uh... are you new? I mean I haven't seen you before." _Before the last 2 days straight_, she thought. _Not straight._ She chuckled to herself.

The doctor glanced over at her and nodded her head. "Yes. I just moved here from Vancouver. I was supposed to start next week but they called yesterday and said could I do paperwork and then paged me right after you called in the remains."

"Vancouver? You're far from home, Doc." The officer waved her hands to indicate the city. "Welcome to Toronto. If you need a tour guide, I can show you around sometime." She was about to say more when her phone began to ring. "Crap. It's my mother."

Gail pressed the green button to accept the call as she cursed under her breath. God. Being nice would mean listening to this for a few minutes so Elaine could check it off her list. "Hello."

"Happy Birthday, Abigail."

"Thanks, mom."

"Are you working today?"

Gail took a deep breath. "You know I'm working. You have my schedule on your computer, Supervisor." She closed her eyes for moment trying to remind herself that she didn't want to be stuck in this day forever. "I'm on the way to the morgue with the new forensic pathologist."

"Oh... "Elaine was quiet for a moment as she clicked a few keys on her computer."Stewart?"

Gail glanced over at the pathologist who was quite obviously trying not to listen in on the conversation. "That's her."

Elaine clicked a few more keys. "Hmmm... University of Toronto, Johns Hopkins, City of Vancouver... excellent references. Very good then."

"So, mom. Thanks for calling." Gail hoped her mother was distracted by invading the doctor's privacy with her research and might let her get off the phone.

"Have you applied for that detective rotation yet, Abigail?" The full first name was back.

"No, mom. I don't know that I'm going to..."

"Abigail. It's time that you began to take your career more seriously. I know that you like hanging out with your friends and Officer Shaw..."

"Oh, hey mom. It looks like we're just reaching the morgue and we need to head inside with the remains. I better go." Gail quickly hit the end call button and tucked her phone back in her pocket. Glancing over at Holly again she saw the woman chuckling.

"What?"

The doctor glanced at her with a smile. "I think I'll decline your offer as tour guide."

"What? What's wrong with my offer to be your tour guide? I'm an awesome tour guide. I've lived in Toronto my entire life except for six months backpacking in Europe and an exchange semester in Brazil." Gail turned slightly in her seat to watch the driver who had an adorable smirk on her face.

"Nothing at all except that you seem to think we're close to the morgue when my GPS tells me that we're at least 6 minutes away." The doctor laughed again as she stopped at the red light. "Maybe 7 now that we caught this light."

Gail laughed. "Like you've never wanted to get off the phone with your mother." Holly didn't respond and Gail decided to tease a little more. "Of course with undergraduate at University of Toronto and Medical School at Johns Hopkins and glowing letters of recommendation maybe your mother doesn't question your career plans." When the dark-haired woman raised an eyebrow Gail explained, "My mother pulled up your file when I mentioned you. She does that."

"Ah... your mother is Supervisor Peck?"

Gail pointed at the next intersection. "Turn here and you miss the light at Langston." She took a breath. "Do you know her?"

Holly waited a moment before speaking as the GPS admonished her and recalculated the route. "I've heard of her. She's a bit of a legend."

"Like Medusa," Gail laughed.

The pathologist pulled her car into the lot and found an empty parking space. "What does your father do?"

Gail looked over at her. "Really? Well crap I sort of hate this conversation. Mother: Superintendent Elaine Peck. Father: Inspector Bill Peck. Brother: Detective Steve Peck of 15th division Guns and Gangs. Oh and my god-father is the Chief of Police."

Holly pulled the keys out of the ignition and turned sideways studying the blonde. "You forgot someone."

Gail pondered it. "Uh... I don't think so. Mom cop, dad cop, brother cop, grandfather cop, other grandfather cop, godfather cop... I think I covered the theme there."

"Officer Gail Peck?"

Gail shrugged. "I'm an open book, Holly."

Holly looked over at her. "When did I tell you my first name?"

"Oh..." Gail thought for a moment. "I guess you didn't. My mother must have said it when she was taunting me with your accomplishments."

The dark haired woman shrugged. "Well I bet she didn't tell you that my middle name is Jane." She opened her door and got out. As she saw Gail over the roof of the car she offered. "After Jane Goodall if you're curious."

Gail laughed. "Oh... I'm curious about many things, Holly." _Am I flirting?_

"Such as?" Well Holly certainly was flirting. Gail felt a slight heat in her cheeks as she realized that she didn't mind that at all.

Gail smiled as she walked toward the building. "First on my list ... how do you take your coffee?" She pointed at the coffee shop adjacent to the building.

The dark-haired woman laughed. "That's not necessary, Officer."

"Gail. Please. I mean who knows how long we'll spend together today." She waved at the cafe and pulled her wallet from her pocket. "Now how do you take your coffee and you can ask around. I rarely have moments of kindness and generosity like this so you should probably take advantage."

The brunette smiled. "In that case, black with one sugar. No cream."

"Roger that!" Gail trotted off toward the cafe. "I'll catch up to you in the lab, Doctor!" Within a few minutes, Gail had joined Holly in the lab bringing her not only the take-out coffee but a blueberry muffin. She set them both on the counter outside the lab and let Holly know they were there before taking a seat at the desk as they waited for the remains to arrive.

As the day went on Gail enjoyed watching Holly work. She tried her best not to interrupt or predict the findings but it was a challenge. It felt like the day passed slowly as she waited for the forensic pathologist to uncover the identity and cause of death of the remains. She also found it to be a particularly challenging to resist snarking at the good doctor. Holly seemed perfectly capable of throwing some snark her way but Gail restrained herself from throwing shade.

She visited in a getting to know you way which was not something she was used to. The forensic pathologist had worked in Vancouver for the past 4 years and said that she had gotten out of a relationship around New Year's. In what she declared a "Champagne-induced bout of goal setting and grand sweeping declarations" she stood on a table and shouted that by the end of the year she would have her dream job, a new house, and a shiny new puppy. So far she had 6 hours at a job that certainly counted as a promotion and a set of keys to an empty home with hard-wood floors and lots of natural light.

Gail found herself opening up much more than she usually did describing her family only vaguely but characterizing her friends in great detail and apparent humor if Holly's reactions were anything to go by. When Holly asked about her boyfriend/significant other, the blonde began to talk about Nick but instead found herself launching into her cat in a tree metaphor once again. Again they left the lab with her declaration that she hated people and Holly's laughter.

"Hey! You should come to the Penny with us tonight!"

Holly shook her head. "I don't know what the Penny is but I think I better pass tonight."

Gail reached out and grabbed the other sleeve of Holly's jacket. "Awww. Come on. It's my birthday."

"Then I hope you have a great time with your friends tonight, Gail."

"Wow. Stubborn!" Gail shrugged. "Well I think you'd want to celebrate with me. How often does a woman turn 28?"

Holly smiled at the other woman. "I'm guessing only once but I bet it's one of those 'if you do it right once is enough' things." She pulled her keys out of her bag and held them up. "Do you need dropped off at your car or this Penny?"

Gail nodded. "That would be great." She opened the passenger door to Holly's car. "Why don't you drop me at the Penny? I don't plan on driving home anyway. And you can come in for a quick drink if you want."

The brunette laughed. "You get a B+ for determination today, birthday girl, but I need to get some work done moving into my wood floors and natural light home this weekend."

"Ok." Gail pulled out her phone. "What's your number? I'll text you so you have mine and if you change your mind about that tour this weekend you will be able to contact me." That transaction completed Gail thanked the pathologist for the ride and waved before walking into the Penny for a third night of birthday partying.

Throughout the evening she was as nice as possible, not punching Dov in the arm or even snarking at Nick and Andy. She let Leo win a few darts games and shared her fries with him and even abstained from any ill-advised and mostly forgettable meaningless sex with officers or detectives from rival precincts. By the end of the evening all she could think was that she hoped to wake up tomorrow and find tomorrow and that maybe Holly could use some help unpacking this weekend. With take-out. And tequila.


End file.
